Conversational Hypnosis. Is It A Powerful Tool For Mind Control?

Conversational hypnosis is used by many different people, in a variety of different professions for a wide range of reasons. However it is perhaps when it is used by stage hypnotists and misused, in my opinion, by unscrupulous, so called "psychics" that most people first come into contact with it.

So does it really deserve to be acknowledged as a powerful, potentially life changing technique? Is it comparable to transcendental meditation in its ability to shape a persons whole outlook on life or is it simply a short lived stunt favoured by showmen?

Initially it is unlikely that the person who first encounters conversational hypnosis in the guise of entertainment will be familiar with the concept at all. This is, in fact, an essential element of the hypnotic technique as it enables stage hypnotists to perform their apparently astounding feats. Should the subject become acutely aware of the hypnosis procedure they would naturally become guarded and defensive and this would make it difficult, but not impossible, for the hypnotist to succeed. When you consider that most stage hypnotists are using their skills on more than one subject at a time, often in front of an audience, their ability to hide both their intent and their hypnotic process is considerable.

Through using a predefined set of gestures, expressions and verbal cues the hypnotist is able to implant various thoughts and behavioural precursors into the subjects mind, without their knowledge. In turn this enables the hypnotist to apparently pre-empt the subject"s responses thereby giving the illusion that they are reading the subjects mind. In fact they are effectively telling the subject how to respond to a given stimulus or question.

There is, of course, much more to successful conversational hypnosis than simply making subtle suggestions to people, especially if you actually want to see their behaviour change as a result. The successful conversational hypnotist has to be a student of human nature; they need to have a good understanding of body language; clear background knowledge of psychology, social programming and auto responsive action to name but a few. However, armed with these techniques, there is no doubt that the stage hypnotist is able to exert considerable influence over the unsuspecting subject.

However, whilst this is fascinating, does such entertaining use of the skill of conversational hypnosis really indicate mind control or is it simply a matter of short lived powers of persuasion? Do these techniques enable the hypnotist to impact in the subjects" life beyond the transient moment of their involvement in "the show?"

Conversational hypnosis is actually a clinically proven process that enables the hypnotherapist to induce a trance like state of suggestibility in the subject"s subconscious. In a clinical setting it is most commonly used to support people to overcome damaging behaviours or problematic mental attitudes. For example conversational hypnosis has been proven to be extremely effective in smoking cessation programs with a 90.6% success rate after completion of all treatment sessions and an 81% success rate after 2 years. This makes conversational hypnosis 3 times as successful as nicotine replacement products (gum and patches etc) and 15 times more successful than will power alone in helping smokers quit (University of Iowa, Journal of Applied Psychology, How One in Five Give Up Smoking. October 1992.)

Similar studies have shown conversational hypnosis to be 30 times more effective than any other non surgical treatment in promoting weight loss amongst clinically obese adults (Cochrane, Gordon; Friesen, J. (1986). Hypnotherapy in weight loss treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 489-492. ) In addition conversational hypnosis has been proven to effectively improve a number of other medical conditions including hypertension, post operative recovery times, pain management and migraines to name but a few.

Conversational hypnosis is particularly popular with Ericksonian Hypnotherapists who use it to control their patients" minds and subsequent behaviours. Throughout more than 40 years of clinical practice Ericksonian hypnotherapists have demonstrated, not only the power of conversational hypnosis to address problematic behaviours within a short treatment window but also its ability to maintain that behavioural change far beyond the end of the treatment itself. Conversational hypnosis is seen to have a prolonged and significant effect upon people"s behaviour.

Therefore few could argue that conversational hypnosis is far more than a vaudevillian trick. In reality converstional hypnosis is truly a powerful tool that enables radical behaviour modification.